Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/594

 246 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — WEST INDIES

(Census, 1891) : Jamaica, 639,491 (males, 305,948 ; females, 333,543) ; white, 14,692; coloured or half-breed, 121,955; black, 488,624; East Indian, 10,116 ; Chinese, 481 ; not stated, 3,623. Capital, Kingston, 46,542. Other towns— Spanish Town, 5,019 ; Montego Bay, 4,803; Savanna-la-Mar, 2,952; Falmouth, 2,517. The estimated population of Jamaica on March 31, 1897, is 706,394. Births (1896-97), 27,064; deaths, 15,535 ; marriages, 3,242. Total East India immigrants in colony in 1896, 14,118, of whom 1,562 were under indentures. Immigration suspended in 1886 and resumed in 1891.

There is no Established Church. Belonging to Church of England (1897), 41,872 ; Church of Scotland, 2,400 members ; Roman Catholics, 9, 300 members ; Methodists, 24,429 members ; Baptists, 35,033 members ; Presbyterian Church, 11,370 members ; members of other Christian Churches, 25,000, besides their families and adherents.

In 1897-8 there were 913 Government schools, 98,205 children enrolled ; the average attendance was 57,983. Government grant, including building cjrants, 53,605Z. There is a Government training college for female teachers in which there are 30 females ; and 60 male students are also being trained at a local Educational Institution in Kingston at Government expense. High school near to Kingston with 37 pupils in 1897. There are besides a number of free schools, denominational high schools and industrial schools.

There is a high court of justice, circuit courts, and a resident magistrate in each parish. Total summary convictions (1897-98), 9,902; before superior courts, 5,346. Prisoners in gaol, March 31, 1898, 1,049. There are 833 police officers and men, including water policemen, and 1,526 members of rural police.

Total number of acres under cultivation and care in 1897, 663,560, of which 164,644 under tillage, and 498,916 under pasture. Under sugar-cane, 28,764 acres ; coffee, 22,387 ; bananas, 19,760 ; cocoanuts, 10,799 ; corn, 245 ; cacao, 1,611 ; ground provisions, 80,656; Guinea grass, 124,672; common pasture, 314,149 ; common pasture and pimento, 59,133 ; pimento, 962.

The holdings are classified as follows : — Not exceeding 5 acres 58,789 ; 10, 8,021 ; 20, 4,347 ; 50, 2,536 ; 100, 848 ; 200, 569 ; 500, 578 ; 800, 285 ; 1,000, 149 ; 1,500, 214 ; exceeding 1,500, 249.

On December 31, 1897, the Colonial Bank had a circulation of $1,985,097 ; other liabilities, $12, 268, 505. Total liabilities, $14, 253, 603; assets, $17, 993, 644.

On March 31, 1898, there were 30,660 depositors in the Government Savings Bank, the deposits amounting to £468,199 17s. The legal coinage is that of Great Britain ; but various American coins are also current. Notes of the Colonial Bank are current ; its average total circulation in 1896 was 173,650Z.

The strength of the West India Regiments in Jamaica on December 31, 1897, was 1,790 officers and men ; there is besides a Volunteer Militia, number- ing 392 on December 31, 1897. There are fortifications and batteries at Port Royal, Rocky Point, Apostles' Battery, Fort Clarence, Fort Augusta, Rock Fort, Salt Pond's Hill. There are 13 ships of the Royal Navy on the North American and West India station. Jamaica has a naval dockyard, coaling station, and victualling yard.

In 1896-97 the registered shipping of Jamaica consisted of 124 sailing vessels of 6, 694 tons and 1 steamerof 459 tons ; total, 125 vessels of 7,153 tons.

Jamaica has 185 miles, 9 chains of railway open (receipts, in year ended March 3], 1898, 102,170^. ; expenses, 74,592/. ; passengers carried, 356,949); 937 miles of telegraph and 831 of telephone ; telegraph messages (to March 31, 1898), 87,545; receipts, 5,08GZ. ; expenses, 7,686/. Letters and post-cards passed through the Post Office in the year 1896-97, 4,955,712.

TuiiKS AND Caicos ISLANDS, undcr the government of Jamaica, are geographically a portion of the Bahamas, of which they form the two south-